Police raids over alleged Sydney tobacco war
When the tobacco wars landed in Sydney, associates of the Alameddine crime clan were allegedly quick to get involved, but those efforts were brought to a rapid halt by NSW Police yesterday morning as they made multiple arrests.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
When the tobacco wars landed in Sydney, associates of the Alameddine crime clan were allegedly quick to get involved, but those efforts were brought to a rapid halt by NSW Police yesterday morning as they made multiple arrests.
Police allege despite some of their key members now living overseas, associates of the notorious Alameddine network – and the allegedly closely aligned KVT gang – remain big players in organised crime, and have in recent months entered into the increasingly profitable world of illegal tobacco.
Desperate not to see a repeat of the countless fire bombings and shooting murders Melbourne has seen as the tobacco wars have raged in recent years, the State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups Squad launched Strike Force Sheringham last September to investigate illicit tobacco trade and theft.
The Daily Telegraph was there as that six-month investigation culminated on Tuesday with dawn raids carried out across Merrylands, Greystanes, Ramsgate Beach and Five Dock, with seven men arrested and 1.4 tonnes of tobacco and cigarettes seized – estimated to be worth more than $500,000.
Criminal Groups Squad boss Jason Box said police would allege while organised crime networks are importing large amounts of illegal cigarettes or illicit loose leaf tobacco – those men arrested and charged had allegedly been involved committing acts of violence, and or “ripping” it.
“We have known for some time that organised crime networks in NSW have identified how profitable the illicit tobacco trade can be in other areas of Australia,” Detective Superintendent Box said.
“What we will allege we’re seeing, is that this group have been doing their homework on rival networks, and then tracking them to their storage locations.
“We haven’t seen the number of attacks on tobacco stores here as in other states, but we will allege we have seen acts of violence against others to take this tobacco.”
One of those alleged violent acts was carried out on a man who allegedly had his toe partially severed after being tied up inside a storage unit at Condell Park on January 4, 2025.
Samimjan Azari, 26, who police claim has long been associated with the Alameddine organised crime network, was charged last month with aggravated break and enter, take or detain in company, and directing the activities of a criminal group, over that alleged incident, before being granted bail.
On Tuesday morning Azari received an early morning wake-up from the Raptor Squad, who walked him shirtless and in handcuffs out of his Merrylands apartment block, over another alleged incident uncovered by Strike Force Sheringham.
That incident was the alleged attempted robbery of a tobacco delivery truck on Guildford Rd at Guildford on November 29, 2024.
Azari was charged with robbery in company over that incident, and will face Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.
Also charged over the alleged Guildford incident was well known rapper “Nasa Nova”, whose real name is Manasa Nayacakalou, 28, as well as Lachlan Nevale, 26, and Tyrone Fera, 24 – with each of them charged with one count of robbery in company.
Nayacakalou was refused bail in Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday, while Fera did not apply in Bankstown Local Court, and Navale was granted strict conditional bail.
Melbourne has seen dozens of firebombings in recent years, as gangs target tobacconists associated with their rivals, hoping to put them out of business and monopolise the market.
Det Supt Box said it was important NSW Police got on the front foot to stop the violence, before it can escalate any further.
“We are focused on eliminating the access of these organised crime networks to this product and we hope by doing this, it will stop the acts of violence,” he said.
“Today you have seen us get in before it escalates to a point where they’re torching each other’s tobacco shops, in an effort to monopolise the markets.
“We know they won’t do that if they don’t have the tobacco to sell, and that is why this phase of our work is so important.”
Also arrested as part of the Strike Force Sheringham raids on Tuesday was Tarek El Hallak, who was charged over two alleged incidents - one in which $1.5m worth of cigarettes were stolen from a storage unit in Casula, and another attempted break in at a Girraween storage unit.
El Hallak was charged with five counts of aggravated break and enter with intent to steal, and will face court on Wednesday.
Threats to kill: Drug and gun charges after police swoop
A police strike force has swooped on a car on a remote highway and an alleged drug house in a small town nearly 50km away after an investigation into gun, drug and domestic violence allegations.
Read more
Ex-MP met alleged victim on gay ‘hook-up’ website: court
Former NSW Liberal MP and alleged child rapist Rory Amon met his alleged victim on a gay “hook-up” website while pretending to be a 17-year-old boy, a court has heard.
Read more